People rush to refill prescriptions before Hurricane Dorian

Pharmacists refill prescriptions for those preparing for Hurricane Dorian. (Photo: Matt Bennett/WWAY)

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Pharmacies were plenty busy on Tuesday with people trying to fill their prescriptions before Hurricane Dorian reaches southeastern North Carolina.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of emergency room visits during Hurricane Florence were for prescription medicine refills.

In North Carolina, some prescription refills are available without a doctor’s authorization once a State of Emergency is declared, so it’s better to get them while pharmacies are still open.

“We’ve seen quite the increase in foot traffic, and our drive-thru has just been wrapped around the building all day,” said Buck Martin, pharmacist manager at King’s Pharmacy in Wilmington.

“Lots of refills, but also a lot of new prescriptions. Doctor’s offices has been overwhelmed today as well with people calling in, asking for people to renew their prescriptions.”

King’s Pharmacy says they plan to be open for normal hours on Wednesday, close Thursday, and hopefully open back up on Friday.